Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback is a High Yield Instructional Strategy in which educators "create specific but flexible goals, allowing some student choice. Teacher feedback should be corrective, timely, and specific to criterion" (Marzano, 2001). Setting objectives and providing feedback is a pedagogy in which the teacher sets clear, concise goals for the classroom. However, rather than expecting all of the students in the class to reach these objectives in a clear-cut way, the teacher allows the student to use his or her own means to reach these objectives. As these students work to accomplish these goals or objectives, educators may help or guide any student who feels they need assistance throughout their learning journey.
What Do Students Gain from this Strategy? Through this high yield strategy, students gain many valuable experiences which include (but are not limited to):
The importance of setting clear, concise goals,
The importance of positive beginning a lesson with a positive demeanor,
Allowing students to learn without attaching the means to achieve their success,
How to self-monitor and self-evaluate progress.
Setting Objectives throughout the students' academic careers will teach them the value of implementing these tools that will allow them to reach their desired goals throughout the rest of their lives.
Setting Clear, Concise Goals for the Common Core State Standards
Like the video explained, the Common Core State Standards are "Consistent, strong, clear benchmarks" for Math and English Language Arts. However, if you read the standards, they are clearly written for educators, not students. It is very important to help students understand what it is that they will be learning rather than just beginning a lesson. By doing so, students can accurately measure their stage of learning. Here are two examples of how an educator can set clear objects that students will understand, compared to the Common Core Standard:
"Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly."
"Measure angles in whole-number degrees using a protractor. Sketch angles of a specific measure."
Student Objective
I can write a paragraph that clearly explains an idea or topic using facts.
I can use a protractor to correctly measure the degrees of an angle.-and-I can use a protractor to sketch an angle of a specific measurement.
Rewriting the objects for the students as an "I can" statement helps the students assume the responsibility for their learning will helping them begin the lesson with a positive demeanor. Visually posting these in the classroom will also help the students be able to refer to them as often as they need throughout the lesson to help them stay focused. Lastly, providing these objectives will encourage the educator and the student to work together while reaching the desired objective.
Setting Objectives does not necessarily mean you are giving step-by-step instructions on how to learn a lesson. Each student is given the opportunity to think independently to solve problems rather than following a set of instructions. For this reason, it is crucial to have the objectives visually posted. As they begin to investigate and learn, there might be a point where the student can become confused or distracted. These objectives can help guide them back on the right track.
The Importance of Allowing Student Choice
Students that have not been given the means in which they must reach their objectives are given the opportunity to take responsibility in their education; which leads to individual and educational growth. When given a means to reach objectives, many students just memorize the curriculum and tie their self-worth to a passing letter grade or score. In addition to learning what is on the curriculum, they are also becoming self-aware of their strengths and weaknesses. These students become aware of the different methods and processes that work for them and the methods that they struggle through. Struggling through a particular method gives students the opportunity to fail and to be able to learn from their mistakes (another valuable life lesson.)
Often employers will give their employees goals and objectives without providing instructions as to how these objectives or goals should be accomplished. Many students who are part of classrooms that are taught to follow step by step instructions and often discouraged to stray from the given instructions. Once they graduate and are in the workforce, they may have a difficult time adjusting to having to find their own answers or solutions compared to those who have been in classroom that has not attached the means to their learning. (Sadker, 2013) The students that have been given the opportunity to provide their own methods of learning and solving problems have the advantage of prior experience in taking initiative and analyzing a problem in order to find different ways to find solutions.
Providing Feedback Lastly, an educator needs to introduce a simple and universal form of measuring all objectives in the classroom. An effective form of student measurement is through a Scales of Learning chart such as this one:
Piktochart credit to: Meilin Valmana
Supplying a simple way of self-assessment will help students effectively communicate to the teachers their level of understanding that can foster an open conversation about the student's work and ability. Providing feedback is not a process that is exclusive to the end of the lesson. Using the scale of measurement, a educator can ask students how confident they are on the lesson. The teacher can have a short conversation with a student that is at a four on the chart to assess whether or not he or she truly understand the lesson, then move on to give a more individualized lesson to those who are still on the first two levels of the chart. Through this method, students who have a strong understanding are not re-taught something that they already understand and students that don't understand are not being forced to move to the next level when they are not yet ready.
As an educator, providing feedback in a way other than through letter or number grades offers opportunities to learn and grow that may not be available in an average curriculum. Through this teaching strategy, students do not just receive an impersonal, written message; rather, they must listen to critiques about the choices they made throughout their learning process as well as at the end of their assignment. However, in order for this critique to be effective both the student and the teacher must converse about the processes that were used; which proves to both parties that there is true comprehension for the lesson and that students are learning to self-assess their abilities. Through this open dialogue, the students can also learn to accept constructive criticism and are demonstrated that lessons can be learned from mistakes. While receiving feedback, he or she can be mindful of his or her learning styles and preferences, and has provided them with the opportunity to make adjustments in the assignment that will foster a better understanding of the objective.
Conclusion As Marzano states in his article Setting The Record Straight on "High Yield" Strategies it is important for educators to be aware that these strategies are to be used combined with other pedagogies in their classrooms; although they are considered "high yield" (now called high probability) strategies, they are not guaranteed to always work. It is also important to be aware that if a strategy such as Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback to all students on a constant basis, it may have a negative effect. (2009) This High Yield Instructional Strategy can be very useful in the classroom, however, Marzano has found that there is a 23 percentile gain in the classroom while using this strategy, and that this gain can even fluctuate: "...if you make sure you do the strategy well... those percentile gains can be even higher than that...If you use it in the wrong context or you use it inappropriately, you might actually decrease your effectiveness. So, it's not just having the list of strategies to try, it's being sure you know how to use them appropriately... (Marzano). Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback are very useful tools in every lesson (whether Marzano's method is used or not), but there are many other factors to a student's education. It is highly beneficial to incorporate other pedagogies along with Marzano's High Yield Instructional Strategies so that students receive an un-biased, well rounded education.
What Do Students Gain from this Strategy?
Through this high yield strategy, students gain many valuable experiences which include (but are not limited to):
Setting Objectives throughout the students' academic careers will teach them the value of implementing these tools that will allow them to reach their desired goals throughout the rest of their lives.
Setting Clear, Concise Goals for the Common Core State Standards
Like the video explained, the Common Core State Standards are "Consistent, strong, clear benchmarks" for Math and English Language Arts. However, if you read the standards, they are clearly written for educators, not students. It is very important to help students understand what it is that they will be learning rather than just beginning a lesson. By doing so, students can accurately measure their stage of learning. Here are two examples of how an educator can set clear objects that students will understand, compared to the Common Core Standard:
Student Objective
I can write a paragraph that clearly explains an idea or topic using facts.Rewriting the objects for the students as an "I can" statement helps the students assume the responsibility for their learning will helping them begin the lesson with a positive demeanor. Visually posting these in the classroom will also help the students be able to refer to them as often as they need throughout the lesson to help them stay focused. Lastly, providing these objectives will encourage the educator and the student to work together while reaching the desired objective.
Setting Objectives does not necessarily mean you are giving step-by-step instructions on how to learn a lesson. Each student is given the opportunity to think independently to solve problems rather than following a set of instructions. For this reason, it is crucial to have the objectives visually posted. As they begin to investigate and learn, there might be a point where the student can become confused or distracted. These objectives can help guide them back on the right track.
The Importance of Allowing Student Choice
Students that have not been given the means in which they must reach their objectives are given the opportunity to take responsibility in their education; which leads to individual and educational growth. When given a means to reach objectives, many students just memorize the curriculum and tie their self-worth to a passing letter grade or score. In addition to learning what is on the curriculum, they are also becoming self-aware of their strengths and weaknesses. These students become aware of the different methods and processes that work for them and the methods that they struggle through. Struggling through a particular method gives students the opportunity to fail and to be able to learn from their mistakes (another valuable life lesson.)
Often employers will give their employees goals and objectives without providing instructions as to how these objectives or goals should be accomplished. Many students who are part of classrooms that are taught to follow step by step instructions and often discouraged to stray from the given instructions. Once they graduate and are in the workforce, they may have a difficult time adjusting to having to find their own answers or solutions compared to those who have been in classroom that has not attached the means to their learning. (Sadker, 2013) The students that have been given the opportunity to provide their own methods of learning and solving problems have the advantage of prior experience in taking initiative and analyzing a problem in order to find different ways to find solutions.
Providing Feedback
Lastly, an educator needs to introduce a simple and universal form of measuring all objectives in the classroom. An effective form of student measurement is through a Scales of Learning chart such as this one:
Supplying a simple way of self-assessment will help students effectively communicate to the teachers their level of understanding that can foster an open conversation about the student's work and ability. Providing feedback is not a process that is exclusive to the end of the lesson. Using the scale of measurement, a educator can ask students how confident they are on the lesson. The teacher can have a short conversation with a student that is at a four on the chart to assess whether or not he or she truly understand the lesson, then move on to give a more individualized lesson to those who are still on the first two levels of the chart. Through this method, students who have a strong understanding are not re-taught something that they already understand and students that don't understand are not being forced to move to the next level when they are not yet ready.
As an educator, providing feedback in a way other than through letter or number grades offers opportunities to learn and grow that may not be available in an average curriculum. Through this teaching strategy, students do not just receive an impersonal, written message; rather, they must listen to critiques about the choices they made throughout their learning process as well as at the end of their assignment. However, in order for this critique to be effective both the student and the teacher must converse about the processes that were used; which proves to both parties that there is true comprehension for the lesson and that students are learning to self-assess their abilities. Through this open dialogue, the students can also learn to accept constructive criticism and are demonstrated that lessons can be learned from mistakes. While receiving feedback, he or she can be mindful of his or her learning styles and preferences, and has provided them with the opportunity to make adjustments in the assignment that will foster a better understanding of the objective.
Conclusion
As Marzano states in his article Setting The Record Straight on "High Yield" Strategies it is important for educators to be aware that these strategies are to be used combined with other pedagogies in their classrooms; although they are considered "high yield" (now called high probability) strategies, they are not guaranteed to always work. It is also important to be aware that if a strategy such as Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback to all students on a constant basis, it may have a negative effect. (2009) This High Yield Instructional Strategy can be very useful in the classroom, however, Marzano has found that there is a 23 percentile gain in the classroom while using this strategy, and that this gain can even fluctuate: "...if you make sure you do the strategy well... those percentile gains can be even higher than that...If you use it in the wrong context or you use it inappropriately, you might actually decrease your effectiveness. So, it's not just having the list of strategies to try, it's being sure you know how to use them appropriately... (Marzano). Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback are very useful tools in every lesson (whether Marzano's method is used or not), but there are many other factors to a student's education. It is highly beneficial to incorporate other pedagogies along with Marzano's High Yield Instructional Strategies so that students receive an un-biased, well rounded education.